Yesterday morning when I fed the dogs I scooped up a cup of Finn’s food from the giant bag which lives in the garage. I dumped the kibble in the bowl and turned around to get the mince when I spotted a scurried movement. I saw something about the size of a small pony running around the bowl. It managed to scale the wall of the bowl and start coming after me with an angry look on it’s face.

It was The Biggest Cockroach in Africa™. To give perspective, this is a 16 piece Ferrero Rocher box he is inside of and he is the almost the same length as the width of it (2 balls in size lol). His wings are humongous.

As an Animist, I struggle with dealing with things like roaches, parasites, or pests. I am supposed to love all of the Creator’s creations? Meanwhile, The Biggest Cockroach in Africa™ is sitting in a plastic box in my kitchen because I do not know what to do with him.

Not to mention I still had to feed Finn! I braved a peek into the bag of dog food and there was another one in there looking at me and waving his tentacles so I decided they could have the entire bag. I threw something to close the top of the bag and ran past, grabbed an unopened bag and dragged it past the infested bag. The bags are HUGE so I struggled. It probably did not help that I was screaming my head off the entire time.

The new dog food bag is now in the kitchen, not the garage. and it is sealed tightly. Norm can deal with the other bag. We will have to get someone out to spray the woodpile in the garage as that is where they must be living and then hopping over to dine on Finn’s very expensive dog food. Did I mention how big they are???

This week I also discovered some little white sticky spots on a plant. When I looked at the bottom of the plant I saw lots of little white critters with many legs. Most likely mealybugs or aphids. I used my tiny plant tools to swab the areas with alcohol and clean off everything I could see.

The next day I checked and saw it was worse! The little buggers had seemed to increase or I missed some of them the previous evening. Most likely they fled the swabbed spots and moved up the plant. I finally decided to rather pull the entire plant and dispose of it. It made me sad but I did not want to deal with the lil buggers taking over my entire table full of precious plants. The alcohol swab had killed a few leaves on the plant in the same pot that I had ‘cleaned off’ as I read too late not to apply alcohol directly to the plant and to first water it down. Oops.

The other plant has signs of infestation so this weekend I will take the plants out and dispose of the soil and refresh it and give the plants a little clean. I have put the pot in isolation.

I am possibly making feral decisions because I spent this week on my own with the animals as Norman flew to Liberia last Sunday. Everyone who has asked where he is seems worried he is at risk. Only his need for 5 star treatment has been at risk. He says he was in the best hotel in town, but that it was grim. But he is now home safe.

Last Sunday morning I had no appointments and Norm was out walking the dogs before his flight. I had a long leisurely shower, washed and conditioned my hair, moisturised my dry skin and then when I came back into my bedroom I spotted Norman had left a coffee by my bed. I did what had to be done, I got back into bed to drink my coffee and brush out my hair.

Later I sat outside and messed around in the garden. I noticed this guy was blooming! I have looked him up and I think he is a Delosperma echinatum, commonly known as a Pickle Plant.

I have since decided that this guy might be ‘Euphorbia persistentifolia‘ but I am not at all sure. Whatever he is I am glad he is growing all of these weird little ‘fingers’ and sticky out bits. Even the sticky out bits are growing fingers!

Norm left for the airport around 2pm and I decided to settle in to watch Bridgerton’s new season. Poppy snuggled up with me and I happily munched my popcorn.

I was annoyed that either Netflix (or Shondaland) were up to their usual bull and only released 4 episodes of the latest series??? I actually like this season, I have not been so enamored of some of the others.

Norm had done a shop for me that morning and I had mince in the fridge I planned to cook but decided I was too hot to stand over a stove. I saw we had some tempura prawns in the freezer so I popped a baked potato in the oven and after a bit I added the prawns on a tray. I made a yummy salad to go with it and it was quick, easy and delicious.

When I woke on Monday it had been raining the previous night and was still raining lightly. I was so glad because the humidity had broken and it had dropped several degrees in temperature from the stifling heat. Throughout the day the rain shifted on and off but it finally dried up and got warm in the afternoon.

It looked gloomy all of Wednesday and in the late afternoon it started raining again despite the sun trying to shine through the clouds.

All of Thursday was a bit overcast too. The wind was howling! It made the roof thump which gave the dogs a fright so we had to stay inside. It actually blew a tree down just around the corner from my house.

I flipped my routine while Norm was away. I showered at night before bed so that in the mornings I could just brush my teeth, get dressed & go as Miss Poppy still has a tiny bladder and will not wait long before she will pee somewhere. It feels lovely getting into bed all clean so I might just continue the change now that Norm is back. I just find it hard to wake in the mornings without a blast of water to my face.

I had to pop down to the shop on Monday and as Chichi was there I did not have to lock up and deal with the dogs so I quickly went when the rain paused for a bit. I parked and went to run my errands. When I got back in the car, for some reason, possibly due to the heat, I could feel the start of a panic attack. I used the technique my friend taught me, using my senses to ground me. I took a deep breathe, removed the thick denim shirt I was wearing, then I looked at the flowers in front of the car and a little lizard popped up out of the flowers and landed on the wall in front of me then scurried off. I started laughing and said, ‘OK, you are right, I am being ridiculous’ and instantly calmed down. It felt like a message, if nothing else it was enough of a distraction that I calmed immediately.

When I pulled out I saw why the universe delayed me, a guy came zooming up behind me very quickly and luckily I was far enough away that he had time to stop. If I had gone earlier maybe he would have been too close to me to stop? Or is that backwards? LOL Either way, I thank my creator for protecting me.

When I got home I put on a big pot of chili con carne. When Norm is away I like to cook something that will last me several days in a few variations. I had plenty for myself so I sent Chichi and her husband, Innocent, 2 containers of it for their dinner. It was miserable weather most of the day and it would be chilly in their shack. I also sent some potatoes for baking in her microwave and I suggested that they put the chili over.

I ate at my desk since I was on my own. I can enjoy the view and watch YouTube while eating at my desk. I discovered I can watch my fave HGTV house renovation shows in a condensed version on there, an ADHD dream, shortcut content. Back to dinner, I added tortilla chips and a tiny bit of sour cream, cilantro, and cheese. The first night I had it, after I finished eating I noticed the washed cilantro still sitting on the counter.

I remembered the next night and it adds such a nice flavour to it. It lasted me 3 nights so it was perfect.

The pets are always hopeful.

I have managed to cope with everything while Norm was away, despite my anxiety and my usual catastrophising. Everyone got fed (I did leave the dog’s container of ostrich mince out overnight, so I had to cook more). I ate proper food, not just cookies and crisps. Finn got his meds, in fact I found that instead of chasing him like a sweaty lunatic wafting a syringe, if I sat down and said ‘come baby boy’ he would come to me and put his head in my lap and let me give him the syringe rather easily. Honey works better than the carrot or the stick or whatever that phrase is.

I did forget to take the bins out on Thursday night but I got up early enough on Friday morning to get the kitchen bin emptied and the wheely bin out to the curb before the truck arrived. I was not going near the recycling because it is in the vicinity of the cockroach.

I was still busy training on the new tool this week for a potential new client and Thursday was a bit of a challenge. The internet went down for several hours so I could not do any training but luckily I had some webinars downloaded to watch and I could watch those. Then on Friday I get a message that I am starting with a new client! I am very excited to get working on something new. I love a new set of data, so much to discover.

The groomers came on Thursday and they told me that Finn’s coat was looking fabulous! The dogs both smell a lot better that is for sure. Finn’s hair went from being shaved, his skin covered in sores to now just one cyst on his back which is not raw. His hair is looking thick and lush.

I had plans to invite my women friends around to visit this week while Norm was away but I found that I can just barely cope with my main responsibilities, much less anything else, so I was on my own. The dogs and I went up to sleep about 10-10.30 at night and they were good as gold. They had me up at 7 or so every morning, I slept until Poppy poked me awake.

But Miss Poppy is in bigggg trouble. I discovered that she has been chewing on the bookcase on our landing. It is not wood, it is particle board but I love this sweet little bookcase, and now it looks bedraggled. Maybe we can file it down and touch it up with paint to make it less obvious?

Despite some naughty interactions, the animals really keep me company when I am on my own like this week. I cannot imagine having to be here all alone.

Finn makes me feel safe as he is always between me and the entrance to the house, Poppy keeps close to me, and Blue keeps me laughing at his nonsense.

Blue has been sleeping on the shelf under the outside patio table. I think it gets air from the wicker beneath him and it is protected from the annoying dogs.

I love the interactions between them. They often just chill together.

They have a real love hate relationship.

I adore them all so much. They all have such quirky personalities, especially Miss Princess.

So, do you want to hear about my latest embarrassment as a woman of a certain age??? Last Saturday during my facial treatment, I was half dozing and the therapist said something and then shoved hot wax into both nostrils and once it cooled, she yanked it out. I have threading to sort my random menopausal facial hairs so I guess the wax is now part of that treatment. I have never had that before, maybe the closer I get to 65, the more old man hormones bubble up in my body? What next, my ears need shaving?? I know men have it all at the barber, but it was a strange experience for me. Is it TMI? Have you met me? No such thing. Let’s normalise the torture we old birds have to endure to be allowed out on the streets.

I guess a moment of agony in order to have hairless nostrils is better than ignoring my aging decline and growing a full on snuffleupagus on my face.

Yesterday Norm arrived back home from Liberia. I am so happy to have my man home!!! When he landed he could not get his phone to work so I had to book an uber for him. Norm just calmly carries on, if I had that happen to me after 3 flights I would have had a break down. I was having a break down just trying to understand why he kept drop calling me as it was making the dogs go insane. We did not have a doorbell for years so a ringing phone usually meant a human at the gate.

He bought me a present back from his trip, I guess it is my Valentine’s gift? He is such a romantic. Actually, he knows I cannot just sit and read a book (thanks ADHD) so this is just random facts you can pick and choose from, there is no story to follow. It is a perfect gift for someone whose Autistic special interest is animals.

When I woke this morning he had a bouquet of flowers and some chocolates on my desk for me.

This has been a challenging few weeks for our family, we have been struggling with some legal issues and quite a few medical issues which are all private and not for public consumption, but our family could use some positive energy. Life can be hard, keep those close who make your challenges easier for you, who think of you, check in on you, care for you and love you exactly as you are.

Happy Valentines Day to all of you! If you are alone, phone a friend who is also alone, rent a film and get a take out and talk shite about your exes. Or stay home alone and eat ice cream, do whatever makes you happy, really it is just another day. I have nothing special planned just hanging with Norm. On Sunday I am going to lunch with a girlfriend. Now that Norm is back I can have a life again!

Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxoxo